Toy horse or novelty



' Y 1927- v A. M. amass TOY HORSE OR NOVELTY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Auz. 18, 1924 IFQ.A 2/ 2/ 41 7 z; 14 y 32 r 1 5/ I 7 M 4 Z J z .50 3 J2 434$ J/ 0 Patented May 3, 1927.

ARTHUR M. BRIGGS, F 'ANDRADE, CALIFORNIA.

TOY HORSE 0R NOVELTY Application filed August 18, 1924. Serial No. 782,863.

This invention relates to improvements in toys and novelties.

The primary object of this invent1on is the provision of a novelty simulating an anii-nal, such as a horse, and adapted to supporta person; the sal ne including a novel leg supporting arrangement which may be operated by the rider for the purpose of propelling the novelty.

A further and important object of the invention is the provision of a horsewhich embodies mechanical features by which. a person may ride the same with a galloping motion.

A furtl-ier object of this invention is the provision of a mechanical toy sin'nrlating a horse embodying novel means by \VlllCll the same may be propelled andsteered by a rider of the same;

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and wherein sinnlar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Figure- 1 isa side elevation, partly in section, showing details of the improved novcity, with the legs thereof in a certain propolling position. I

Figure 2 is a view showingiparts; similar tothose illustrated in Figure 1, w1th the leg arrangei'nent in a different propel-ling position.

Figure 3 is a view showing parts similar to those illustrated in Figures 1- and' 2, w1th the legs of the novelty ina propel-ling position different than that illustrated in Figures 1 and 2; i

Figure l is across sectional View taken substantially on the line 4-i of. Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a cross sectional View taken substantially on the line 5 of Figure 2.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown the preferred embodiment ofthis invention, the letter A may generally designate the improved toy, which is adapted to simulate a horse,- and' which 1ncludes a main body portion 13 front legsupporting arrangement G; and rear leg supporting arrangement The body B of the horse includes the upper back portion 10,- which may be conattracted to simulate the back of a horse, and which may be convex on its upper surface to con'ifortably support a rider when straddled thereon. Forwardly of the back portion a head 12 is supported bya neck portion 15. Below the back portion 10 a leg attaching plate or member 18 is supported, which may be secured in any approvedmanner to the baclrportion l0, midway of the side edges of the latter, and depending in a vertical plane therefrom.

The front leg construction C preferably consists of right andleft legs 20 and 21 respectively which are rigidly connected in a diverging relation by means of a cross brace 22'. The legs at their upper ends are in a spaced relation to receive the supporting plate 18 therebetween, and a pivot pin or bolt extends across the upper portions of the legs 20 and 21 and is pivotally received in an opening 25 in the supporting member 18 the opening 25 being tapered in diverging relation from opposite sides of the plate or member 1'8 to a point substantially midway oli the thickness of the plate 18, Where the opening is of smallest area. Thus, the bolt or pin 2% not only supports the legs 20 or 2i for forward and rear movement with respect to the body portion B, but these legs may be laterally swung thru an arc incident to an oscillation which the bolt or pin 2% has in its opening 25 on a vertical axis; this oscillatory movement being through ten or twelve degrees, in order to give a steering action to the animal, so that it may be directionally propelled by placing one front leg forwardly of the other. Stop blocks 26 and 27 are forwardly bolted at opposite sides of the supporting member 18,

by bolts 29; these blocks 26 and 27 being bolted forwardly of the pivot axis of the front leg construction C, in order to limit the rearward movement of the legs 20 and 21 substantially as is illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings. Rearward-ly of the pivot mounting of the leg construction C, and on opposite sides of the supporting member 18, stop blocks 31 and 32 may be supported, by means-of bolts 33; the same being provided to limit the forward moven ient of the front leg construction C, substantially as is illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings. It can thus be understood that the leg 20 operates between the blocks 26 and 31 to be limited in its forward and rear movement, whereas the leg 21 operates in the space between the blocks 27 and 32to be limited in its forward and rear movements thereby;

Referring to the rear leg construction B,

the same .includes the right and left legs and etl respectively, supported in a rigid converging relation by means of a cross piece 42 which is secured thereto intermediate their ends. The upper ends of the legs l and ll are in a spaced relation, to snugly receive therebetween, in a sliding engagement, the depending connecting member 18. A pivot pin or bolt 44. extends through the legs a0 and TI, and through the member l8, to pivotally mount the rear leg construetion D for movement in a vertical plane forwardly and rearwaidly of the body E, Movement limiting blocks 46 and 47 are connected forwardly of the pivot mounting of the leg construction B, upon the opposite sides of the member 18, by means of bolts l8: these blocks being provided to limit the movement of the leg construction D to the rear. At the rear of the pivot mounting of the leg construction l and upon opposite sides of the member 18, movement limiting blocks 50 and f are supported upon opposite sides of the member 18, by means of bolts 5'2, the same being adapted to limit the forward movement of the leg construction l), as is illustrated in Figure l of the drawings. A spiral tension spring 55 is provided for norn'ially maintaining the leg con struction l) in a forward position; one end of the spring being connected to the body plate .18 by means of an eye screw or the like, and the opposite end of the spring 55 being connected to the leg construct-ion D, and more particularly to the cross piece 42. The action of the spring is illustrated in Figure l, wherein it is shown that the tendency of the spring is to draw the rear leg construction D forwardly so that the legs and a l. respectively engage the stop blocks and 51..

A rod is horizontally supported by the front leg construction 0, below the pivot points thereof; this rod 60 providing stirrup extensions (Sl and 62 at opposite sides thereof upon which the feet of the user may rest in order to accomplish the galloping motion which the improved novelty is adapted to perform.

In order to hide the details of the improved novelty, a robe or flexible piece of material (55 may be secured to the body portion 10, marginally thereabout, and in depending relation to hide the connections of the front and rear leg constructions. This flexible member 65 simulates the blanket of a horse.

Upon the horses head 12, and at opposite sides thereof, handle extensions 68 and 69 are provided which the rider may grasp during operation of the toy.

Referring more particularly to the means of riding the hobby horse, the person straddles the back 10, with his feet upon the stirrup extensions 61 and 62, and grasps the handle (it; and 69. The rider throwing his body to the rear, and pushing outwardly with his feet, tilts the toy slightly to the rear, so that the front feet will be pushed forwardly. The next movement of the rider will be a natural forward movement, to keep himself from falling off the toy, and this will tilt the toy forwardly just suflicient to raise the rear leg construction oil the ground, and the spring of the leg constructien will then pull the rear leg construction :l'orward. in Figure 1 has been illustrated the natural position, and the rider pushing the front leg construction (ti ,l'orwardly will position the legs of the toy as illustrated in Figure A forward movement oi the animal resulting from forward inclination of the riders body will position the parts as illustrated in Figure 3, so that the spring may act upon the rear leg coir struclion for drawing the same forward. it is very apparent that this oscillatory movement of the front and rear leg construction will give a forward propelling to the toy, for moving it much in the same manner as a horse gallops. \Vhile the rear leg consi .uction 13 can only move forward and rearward in a defined plane, the front leg construction can be laterally moved, for guiding n'ioven'ient of the toy in any direction.

Various cluinges in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be made to the form of the invention herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit o l' the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a toy horse the con'ibination of an elongated supporting body, front and rear supporting leg constructions for the body each comprising a pair of rigidly connected legs divergent from the upper ends thereof towards the lower ends thereof, the upper ends thereof being in spaced relation to receive ther-ebetween the lower portion of the body so that the upper ends of said legs of each of the leg constructions are disposed at opposite sides of the lower portion of the body, pins extending through the upper ends of the legs of each of the leg constructions and through the said body for pivotally mounting the leg constructions on the body, and stop blocks at opposite sides of the body both forwardly and rearwardly of the pivot connections of each of the legs of each leg construction for limiting the forward and rearward amplitude of movements of the said leg constructions.

2. In a toy horse the combination of an elongated supporting body, front and rear supporting leg constructions for the body each comprising a pair of rigidly connected legs divergent from the upper ends thereof being in spaced relation to receive therebetween the lower portion of the body so llt) that the upper ends of said legs of each of the leg constructions are disposed at opposite sides of the lower portion of the body, pins for each of the leg constructions extending through the upper ends of the legs of each of the leg constructions and through the said body for pivotally mounting the leg constructions on the body, stop blocks at opposite sides of the body both forwardly and 'rearwardly of the pivot connections of each of the legs of each leg construction for limiting the forward and rearward amplitude of moven'ients of the said leg constructions, the blocks at each side of the body for each leg of the leg construction being disposed in a spaced relation to provide at the facing edges thereof a socket which adjacent the pivot axis of the legs on the body is restricted and therefrom divergent upwardly and downwardly in a widening relation.

3. In a toy horse the combination of a body consisting of an upper elongated relatively wide back portion and a lower rela tively narrow elongated depending attaching portion centrally arranged between the opposite sides of the back portion and at tached thereto, front and rear leg constructions pivotally mounted to said lower depending attaching portion below the back portion, and a skirt peripherally connected about the outer margins of the back portion and depending to surround the lower attaching portion of the body and the upper portion of the front and rear leg constructions to secrete the connections of the leg constructions with said lower depending attaching portion.

4. In a toy horse the combination of a body comprising an elongated back member, a relatively narrow elongated attaching member centrally secured longitudinally below the back member so that the latter at opposite sides thereof overhangs and extends laterally of the opposite sides of the depending attaching member, front and rear leg constructions each including rigidly connected divergent legs the upper ends of which are closest together and spaced to receive in said space the depending attaching member, pins for pivotally connecting said upper ends of the legs of each of the leg constructions to the depending attaching member of the body, stop blocks carried at opposite sides of the attaching member both for wardly and rearwardly of each leg pivot to limit the amplitude of movement of the le constructions, a depending flexible skirt marginally attached about the back member of the body in depending relation surrounding the upper portions of the leg constructions and the depending attaching member of the body, stirrups rigidly carried by the front leg construction in laterally ext-ending relation beyond each leg thereof and below the skirt, and handle means rigidly connected with the body portion forwardly and upwardly of the pivotal connection of the front. leg construction with said body.

ARTHUR M. BRIGGS. 

